649:
instances in
Eastern Europe. The only Western in-situ leaching site restored after sulfuric acid leaching so far, is the small pilot scale facility Nine Mile Lake near Casper, Wyoming (USA). The results can therefore not simply be transferred to production scale facilities. The restoration scheme applied included the first two steps mentioned above. It turned out that a water volume of more than 20 times the pore volume of the leaching zone had to be pumped, and still several parameters did not reach background levels. Moreover, the restoration required about the same time as used for the leaching period.
687:) on the subject "Establishing Baseline and Comparison to Restoration Values at Uranium In-Situ Recovery Sites" stated "These results indicated that it may be unrealistic for ISR operations to restore aquifers to the mean, because in some cases, this means that there would have to be less uranium present than there was pre-mining. Pursuing more conservative concentrations results in a considerable amount of water usage, and many of these aquifers were not suitable for drinking water before mining initiated."
229:
299:
1133:
533:
38:
695:
completed. The SAB also reviews the advantages and disadvantages of alternative statistical techniques to determine whether post-operational groundwater quality has returned to near pre-mining conditions and whether mine operation can be predicted not to adversely impact groundwater quality after site closure acceptance.
691:
underground ore bodies. In a
February, 2012 letter the EPA states, "Because the ISL process affects groundwater quality, the EPA’s Office of Radiation and Indoor Air requested advice from the Science Advisory Board (SAB) on issues related to design and implementation of groundwater monitoring at ISL mining sites."
415:(operating), Christensen Ranch (reclamation), Irigaray (reclamation), Churchrock (proposed), Crownpoint (proposed), Alta Mesa (operating), Hobson (standby), La Palangana (operating), Kingsville Dome (operating), Rosita (standby) and Vasquez (restoration) are ISL uranium operations in the United States.
694:
The SAB makes recommendations concerning monitoring to characterize baseline groundwater quality prior to the start of mining operations, monitoring to detect any leachate excursions during mining, and monitoring to determine when groundwater quality has stabilized after mining operations have been
690:
The EPA is considering the need to update the environmental protection standards for uranium mining because current regulations, promulgated in response to the
Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978, do not address the relatively recent process of in-situ leaching (ISL) of uranium from
648:
Most restoration experiments reported refer to the alkaline leaching scheme, since this scheme is the only one used in
Western world commercial in-situ operations. Therefore, nearly no experience exists with groundwater restoration after acid in- situ leaching, the scheme that was applied in most
109:
can be used to create open pathways in the deposit for the solution to penetrate. Leaching solution is pumped into the deposit where it comes in contact with the ore. The solution bearing the dissolved ore content is then pumped to the surface and processed. This process allows the extraction of
584:
The usual radiation safeguards are applied at an ISL Uranium mining operation, despite the fact that most of the orebody's radioactivity remains well underground and there is hence minimal increase in radon release and no ore dust. Employees are monitored for alpha radiation contamination and
580:
In the USA legislation requires that the water quality in the effected aquifer be restored so as to enable its pre-mining use. Usually this is potable water or stock water (usually less than 500 ppm total dissolved solids), and while not all chemical characteristics can be returned to those
544:, ISL was initially used by collecting the resultant solution underground but in 1995 this was converted to a well-to-well recovery method which was the first large scale implementation of that method. This well-to-well method has been proposed for other copper deposits in Arizona.
1088:
J.K. Otton, S. Hall: In-situ recovery uranium mining in the United States: Overview of production and remediation issues, International
Symposium on Uranium Raw Material for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Exploration, Mining, Production, Supply and Demand, Economics and Environmental
376:
652:
In USA, the Pawnee, Lamprecht, and Zamzow ISL Sites in Texas were restored using steps 1 and 2 of the above listed treatment scheme. Relaxed groundwater restoration standards have been granted at these and other sites, since the restoration criteria could not be met.
600:
After termination of an in-situ leaching operation, the waste slurries produced must be safely disposed, and the aquifer, contaminated from the leaching activities, must be restored. Groundwater restoration is a very tedious process that is not yet fully understood.
1008:"Schmidt,C: Groundwater Restoration and Stabilization at the Ruth-ISL Test Site in Wyoming, USA. In: In Situ Leaching of Uranium - Technical, Environmental and Economic Aspects, Proceedings of a Technical Committee Meeting, IAEA- TECDOC-492, Vienna 1989, p.97-126",
1058:
Engelmann,W H; Phillips,P E; Tweeton,D R; Loest,K W;Nigbor,M T: Restoration of
Groundwater Quality Following Pilot-Scale Acidic In-Situ Uranium Leaching at Nine- Mile Lake Site Near Casper, Wyoming. In: Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, June 1982,
1043:
Nigbor,Michael T; Engelmann,William H; Tweeton,Daryl R: Case
History of a Pilot-Scale Acidic In Situ Uranium Leaching Experiment. United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations RI-8652, Washington D.C., 1982, 81
1073:
Mays,W M: Restoration of
Groundwater at Three In- Situ Uranium Mines in Texas. In: IAEA (Ed.), Uranium in situ leaching. Proceedings of a Technical Committee Meeting held in Vienna, 5-8 October 1992, IAEA-TECDOC-720, Vienna 1993, p.191-
317:). The extracted uranium solution is then filtered through resin beads. Through an ion exchange process, the resin beads attract uranium from the solution. Uranium loaded resins are then transported to a processing plant, where U
608:
Phase 1: Pumping of contaminated water: the injection of the leaching solution is stopped and the contaminated liquid is pumped from the leaching zone. Subsequently, clean groundwater flows in from outside of the leaching
344:
and
Uranium Resources, Inc., all using sodium bicarbonate. ISL produces 90 % of the uranium mined in the US. In 2010, Uranium Energy Corporation began in-situ leach operations at their Palangana project in
1028:
Catchpole,Glenn; Kirchner,Gerhard: Restoration of
Groundwater Contaminated by Alkaline In-Situ Leach of Uranium Mining. In: Merkel,B et al. (Ed.): Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology, GeoCongress 1, Köln 1995,
581:
pre-mining, the water must be usable for the same purposes as before. Often it needs to be treated by reverse osmosis, giving rise to a problem in disposing of the concentrated brine stream from this.
656:
A study published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2009 found that "To date, no remediation of an ISR operation in the United States has successfully returned the aquifer to baseline conditions."
244:
In-situ leach for uranium has expanded rapidly since the 1990s, and is now the predominant method for mining uranium, accounting for 45 percent of the uranium mined worldwide in 2012.
552:
In-situ leaching has not been used on a commercial scale for gold mining. A three-year pilot program was undertaken in the 1970s to in-situ leach gold ore at the Ajax mine in the
612:
Phase 2: as 1, but with treatment of the pumped liquid (by reverse osmosis) and re-injection into the former leaching zone. This scheme results in circulation of the liquid.
1134:"Advisory on EPA's Draft Technical Report entitled Considerations Related to Post- Closure Monitoring of Uranium In-Situ Leach/In-Situ Recovery (ISL/ISR) Sites"
149:
The lixiviant varies according to the ore deposit: for salt deposits the leachate can be fresh water into which salts can readily dissolve. For copper,
910:"Prospects for selective-and-advanced recovery of rhenium from pregnant solutions of in-situ leaching of uranium ores at Dobrovolnoye deposit"
585:
personal dosimeters are worn to measure exposure to gamma radiation. Routine monitoring of air, dust and surface contamination are undertaken.
955:
Sutton, Gary (2019). "Reconciling Mineral Reserves at the well-to-well in-situ copper leaching operation at San Manuel Mine, Arizona, USA".
525:, in which broken low-grade ore is leached in a current or former conventional underground mine. The leaching may take place in backfilled
1155:
987:
341:
457:
In-situ leaching of copper was done by the Chinese by 907 AD, and perhaps as early as 177 BC. Copper is usually leached using acid (
806:
734:
630:
Phase 4: Circulation of the liquid by pumping and re- injection, to obtain uniform conditions in the whole former leaching zone.
861:
223:
1102:
641:
If chemically reducing conditions are later disturbed for any reasons, the precipitated contaminants are re-mobilized.
869:
847:
466:
291:, which operated from 1961-1970 using sulfuric acid. Since 1970, all commercial-scale ISL mines in the US have used
604:
The best results have been obtained with the following treatment scheme, consisting of a series of different steps:
309:
In-situ recovery involves the extraction of uranium-bearing water (grading as low as 0.05 %, or 500 ppm, U
17:
275:). Dissolved oxygen is sometimes added to the water to mobilize the uranium. ISL of uranium ores started in the
831:
676:
680:
210:). In-situ leaching is often used for deposits that are too deep, or beds that are too thin, for conventional
237:
512:
will require more oxidants and will dissolve more slowly. Sometimes oxidation is sped up by the bacteria
644:
The restoration process takes very long periods of time, not all parameters can be lowered appropriately.
638:
Contaminants that are mobile under chemically reducing conditions, such as radium, cannot be controlled.
504:
to the leachate before the minerals are dissolved. The ores with the highest sulfide contents, such as
430:
is produced. Uranium Energy Corp. has three additional South Texas deposits permitted or in development.
1170:
329:
is produced. The resin beads can then be returned to the ion exchange facility where they are reused.
1175:
514:
353:
delayed development of their Kintyre project, due to challenging project economics based on $ 45.00 U
1185:
908:
Rudenko, A. A.; Troshkina, I. D.; Danileyko, V. V.; Barabanov, O. S.; Vatsura, F. Ya (2021-10-13).
777:
553:
526:
862:"U.S. Uranium In-Situ-Leach Plants by Owner, Capacity, and Operating Status at End of the Year"
759:
402:
50:
565:
391:
115:
46:
422:. The ion exchange facility at Palangana trucks uranium-loaded resin beads to the company's
709:
412:
106:
843:
8:
714:
627:
S). This causes the chemical precipitation and thus immobilization of major contaminants.
419:
346:
157:
of the ore minerals within the solution. For uranium ores, the lixiviant may be acid or
743:
418:
In 2010, Uranium Energy Corp. began an ISL mining operation in the Palangana deposit in
974:
937:
815:
529:
or caved areas. In 1994, stope leaching of copper was reported at 16 mines in the US.
302:
268:
264:
207:
158:
123:
925:
941:
929:
462:
452:
1180:
921:
873:
736:
Solution Mining of Nahcolite at the American Soda Project, Piceance Creek, Colorado
616:
332:
At the end of 2008 there were four in-situ leaching uranium mines operating in the
119:
211:
191:
174:
In-situ leach is widely used to extract deposits of water-soluble salts such as
684:
497:
272:
195:
139:
1164:
933:
909:
704:
458:
423:
405:, South Australia, opened in 2011 and is Australia's second ISL uranium mine.
333:
284:
276:
252:
228:
1109:
509:
298:
280:
31:
634:
But, even with this treatment scheme, various problems remain unresolved:
485:
256:
248:
102:
564:
solution. After obtaining poor results, perhaps because of the complex
82:
493:
427:
408:
380:
365:
326:
183:
154:
814:. Tailings & Mine Waste '00. Fort Collins, CO, USA. Archived from
762:, International Atomic Energy Agency/OCED Nuclear Energy Agency, 2014.
593:
Reduced hazards for the employees from accidents, dust, and radiation,
138:
into the ore body via a borehole, which circulates through the porous
615:
Phase 3: as 2, with the addition of a reducing chemical (for example
473:
369:
292:
260:
203:
135:
87:
914:
Gornye Nauki I Tekhnologii = Mining Science and Technology (Russia)
557:
481:
443:
from productive solutions of underground leaching of uranium ores.
199:
143:
98:
907:
659:
Baseline conditions include commercial quantities of radioactive U
541:
505:
489:
477:
440:
395:
288:
233:
179:
77:
42:
532:
361:. One ISR reclamation project was also in operation as of 2009.
283:
in the early 1960s. The first uranium ISL in the US was in the
679:
Region 8 workshop, on September 29, 2010, Ardyth Simmons, PhD,
561:
501:
350:
337:
187:
175:
73:
69:
27:
Solution mining process for recovering certain dissolved metals
808:
Acid In Situ Leach Uranium Mining : 1 - USA and Australia
37:
30:
For recovery of material occurring naturally in solution, see
472:
Ores most amenable to leaching include the copper carbonates
91:
375:
596:
Low cost, no need for large uranium mill tailings deposits.
150:
111:
439:
There are technologies for the associated extraction of
295:
solutions. ISL mining in Australia uses acid solutions.
114:
body without the need for conventional mining involving
971:
Gold and silver leaching practices in the United States
732:
733:
Hardy, M.; Ramey, M.; Yates, C.; Nielsen, K. (2003).
969:Peter G. Chamberlain and Michael G. Pojar (1984)
496:may require addition of oxidizing agents such as
142:dissolving the ore and is extracted via a second
1162:
97:The process initially involves the drilling of
41:Remains of an abandoned piping system used for
772:
770:
768:
536:Recovery well at former San Manuel operation.
576:According to the World Nuclear Organization:
488:. Other copper minerals, such as the oxide
765:
386:Examples of in-situ uranium mines include:
169:
134:In-situ leach mining involves pumping of a
540:At the San Manuel Mine in the US state of
80:through boreholes drilled into a deposit,
742:. 2003 SME Annual Meeting. Archived from
571:
72:process used to recover minerals such as
800:
798:
531:
374:
297:
227:
36:
1156:Heathgate Resources Acid Leach Infopage
589:The advantages of this technology are:
394:, South Australia, is an operating ISL
364:Significant ISL mines are operating in
198:. It has been used in the US state of
14:
1163:
954:
675:values of the aquifer. Speaking at an
667:. Efficient in-situ recovery reduces U
469:(SX-EW) or by chemical precipitation.
325:is separated from the resin beads and
86:. In-situ leach works by artificially
989:In Situ Leach (ISL) Mining of Uranium
795:
398:mine and Australia's first such mine.
844:"Domestic Uranium Production Report"
804:
518:, which feeds on sulfide compounds.
90:minerals occurring naturally in the
465:), then recovered from solution by
224:Uranium mining in the United States
24:
977:, Information Circular 8969, p.24.
866:Domestic Uranium Production Report
25:
1197:
1149:
926:10.17073/2500-0632-2021-3-158-169
870:Energy Information Administration
848:Energy Information Administration
467:solvent extraction electrowinning
232:Diagram of in-situ leaching for
153:are generally needed to enhance
1126:
1095:
1080:
1065:
1050:
1035:
1020:
1001:
980:
963:
948:
805:Mudd, Gavin M. (January 2000).
901:
888:
854:
836:
825:
753:
726:
681:Los Alamos National Laboratory
13:
1:
1103:"In-Situ Recovery of Uranium"
894:"Uranium production begins,"
720:
1108:. 2010-09-29. Archived from
556:district in the US, using a
521:Copper ISL is often done by
7:
698:
247:Solutions used to dissolve
164:
10:
1202:
568:ore, the test was halted.
450:
434:
221:
217:
129:
29:
515:Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
446:
110:metals and salts from an
1076:, 1993, pp. 191–215
1061:, 1982, pp. 382–398
778:"In-Situ Recovery (ISR)"
623:S) or sodium sulfide (Na
426:processing plant, where
170:Potash and soluble salts
547:
1031:, 1995, pp. 81–89
587:
572:Environmental concerns
537:
403:Honeymoon Uranium Mine
383:
306:
241:
54:
959:. 10 3Q2019: 133–141.
578:
535:
392:Beverley Uranium Mine
378:
301:
231:
40:
710:Hydraulic fracturing
413:Smith Ranch-Highland
107:hydraulic fracturing
715:Mineral exploration
484:, and the silicate
420:Duval County, Texas
347:Duval County, Texas
60:(ISL), also called
1046:, 1982, p. 81
975:US Bureau of Mines
896:Mining Engineering
832:Honeymoon Project
538:
384:
307:
303:Ion exchange resin
269:ammonium carbonate
265:sodium bicarbonate
242:
212:Underground Mining
208:sodium bicarbonate
188:rock salt (halite)
159:sodium bicarbonate
124:underground mining
55:
1171:Mining techniques
463:hydrochloric acid
453:copper extraction
255:or less commonly
251:are either acid (
51:Stráž pod Ralskem
16:(Redirected from
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1176:Economic geology
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898:, December 2010.
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886:
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872:. Archived from
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617:hydrogen sulfide
492:and the sulfide
287:in the state of
62:in-situ recovery
58:In-situ leaching
53:, Czech Republic
21:
18:In-situ recovery
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349:. In July 2012
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271:, or dissolved
226:
220:
192:sodium chloride
172:
167:
132:
116:drill-and-blast
105:. Explosive or
66:solution mining
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1150:External links
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1016:: 97–126, 1989
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920:(3): 158–169.
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749:on 2007-09-28.
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1137:. Retrieved
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1042:
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993:, retrieved
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895:
890:
878:. Retrieved
874:the original
865:
856:
838:
827:
816:the original
807:
786:. Retrieved
784:. 2023-09-21
781:
760:Uranium 2014
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744:the original
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480:, the oxide
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281:Soviet Union
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81:
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32:Brine mining
957:CIM Geology
486:chrysocolla
257:nitric acid
249:uranium ore
202:to extract
103:ore deposit
1165:Categories
1139:2012-10-13
1119:2012-10-16
995:2012-10-12
788:2024-07-04
721:References
494:chalcocite
451:See also:
428:yellowcake
409:Crow Butte
381:yellowcake
379:A drum of
366:Kazakhstan
327:yellowcake
222:See also:
184:carnallite
155:solubility
88:dissolving
1059:p.382-398
942:241476783
934:2500-0632
566:telluride
474:malachite
370:Australia
293:carbonate
261:carbonate
204:nahcolite
136:lixiviant
101:into the
99:boreholes
64:(ISR) or
699:See also
558:chloride
482:tenorite
279:and the
200:Colorado
165:Minerals
144:borehole
120:open-cut
94:state.
47:leaching
45:in-situ
1181:Uranium
1029:p.81-89
542:Arizona
506:bornite
490:cuprite
478:azurite
441:rhenium
435:Rhenium
396:uranium
342:Mestena
289:Wyoming
234:uranium
218:Uranium
180:sylvite
130:Process
83:in situ
78:uranium
68:, is a
43:uranium
1091:, 2009
1089:Issues
1010:Vienna
940:
932:
562:iodide
527:stopes
502:oxygen
447:Copper
424:Hobson
351:Cameco
338:Cameco
238:US NRC
194:, and
176:potash
74:copper
70:mining
1113:(PDF)
1106:(PDF)
938:S2CID
819:(PDF)
812:(PDF)
747:(PDF)
740:(PDF)
609:zone.
305:beads
259:) or
151:acids
92:solid
930:ISSN
882:2012
560:and
548:Gold
508:and
500:and
476:and
401:The
390:The
368:and
182:and
140:rock
76:and
1074:215
1014:492
922:doi
677:EPA
461:or
186:),
122:or
112:ore
49:in
1167::
1012:,
973:,
936:.
928:.
916:.
912:.
868:.
864:.
846:.
797:^
780:.
767:^
619:(H
372:.
340:,
267:,
214:.
190:,
161:.
146:.
126:.
118:,
1142:.
1122:.
1044:p
944:.
924::
918:6
884:.
850:.
791:.
683:(
673:8
671:O
669:3
665:8
663:O
661:3
625:2
621:2
359:8
357:O
355:3
323:8
321:O
319:3
315:8
313:O
311:3
263:(
240:)
236:(
206:(
178:(
34:.
20:)
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